Jim Benning holds press conference to talk Canucks season, trade deadline moves and contracts for Pettersson and Hughes

Embattled Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning met with the media earlier today to provide an update on the team's COVID-19 outbreak and the team's schedule for the balance of the season, while also discussing contract extensions/negotiations and his plan for Monday's trade deadline.

First up... how did this outbreak occur?

VAN team physician Dr. Jim Brovard: "We know the individual had gone to a place within the guidelines. That place was subsequently found to have cases of COVID... we've made it clear within our group there's no culprit here aside form the (virus) itself."
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 9, 2021

Assuming the players all recover, what's the plan in the short term?

Jim Benning says that at noon today Dr. Sanderson, Dr. Bovard and doctors representing the league and the PR will have a meeting to discuss issues on returning to play and re-opening the facility.

Adds "We still have family members that are getting sick". #Canucks
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 9, 2021

And will the team play out the season?

"My conversations with the league to this point is that we're going to continue with our season and play all 56 games," - Jim Benning #Canucks
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 9, 2021

Okay... and will all the players play?

Jim Benning says no players have indicated that they want to opt out from competing in the balance of the season.

"Players are worried about their families and stuff, but they're competitive guys and want to get back playing against when they know they're going to be safe..."
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 9, 2021

And what's the plan for Monday's trade deadline?

"I don't expect us to be doing a whole lot at the deadline," says Benning
— Jason Brough (@SadClubCommish) April 9, 2021

Alright... but you have some pretty awful contracts you need to offload for the offseason, right? Right?

"I don't forsee any cap problems this summer," says Jim Benning. #Canucks
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 9, 2021

Uh... okay... I guess this means he already has big money deals for Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes locked up then?

"We haven't started talking numbers and stuff yet," said Benning when asked about the Hughes and Pettersson contracts.
— ????? Faber ?? (@ChrisFaber39) April 9, 2021

Um... that's... that's concerning. At least Travis Green will be back behind the bench, right?

"We haven't started talking numbers and stuff yet," said Benning when asked about the Hughes and Pettersson contracts.
— ????? Faber ?? (@ChrisFaber39) April 9, 2021

Huh...

I'm sorry, Canucks fans. That's all I can say. This guy has absolutely no clue what he's doing...

He wasted Daniel and Henrik Sedin's final years and now he's frittering away some prime years of Pettersson, Hughes, Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser. What a damn shame.

Jim Benning holds press conference to talk Canucks season, trade deadline moves and contracts for Pettersson and Hughes

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